Objective To investigate the gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and explore its possible reasons.Methods Thirty-six patients with stable COPD were divided into mild group [21 cases,forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1) measured values/predictive values ≥50％] and severe group (15 cases,FEV1 measured values/predictive values ＜ 50％) according to the pulmonary function.Replacement of 19 healthy volunteers as control group.The patients and volunteers completed the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scales (GSRS) scores and received electrogastrography,the plasma vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and intestinal fatty acid binding protein (Ⅰ-FABP) were detected.Results The GSRS scores in severe group and mild group was higher than that in control group[(17.73 ± 4.64),(14.29 ± 5.44) scores vs.(8.00 ± 2.29) scores],and severe group was higher than that in mild group,there was significant difference (P ＜ 0.05).The percentage of normal slow waves of fasting and postprandial,the percentage of bradygastria in severe group and mild group were lower than those in control group,there were significant differences(P ＜ 0.05).The level of VIP in severe group was lower than that in mild group and control group [(36.07 ± 9.22) μ g/L vs.(44.16 ± 7.88),(46.53 ± 4.54) μ g/L],the level of I-FABP was higher than that in mild group and control group [(35.80 ± 11.69) μ g/L vs.(27.40 ±9.53),(23.58 ±8.18) μg/L],there was significant difference (P ＜0.05),but there was no significant difference between mild group and control group (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion The patients with COPD are accompanied with serious gastrointestinal symptoms and gastric dysrhythmia,severe COPD can be associated with VIP decrease and Ⅰ-FABP rise in peripheral blood.

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of esophageal intraluminal stents with 125I seeds based on survival time and quality of life (QOL) of patients with advanced esophageal cancer.Methods A total of 37 patients with advanced esophageal cancer who underwent placement of esophageal 125I irradiation stent were followed up.The QOL was evaluated by QLQ-C30 and QLQ-OES18 questionnaires before the procedure, and 1 week and 3 months after.Results The mean survival time of 37 patients was 28 weeks, with 3-month and 6-month survival rates at 94.6% (35/37) and 51.4% (19/37), respectively.Compared with the baseline, the scores of emotional functioning(EF), cognitive functioning(CF),global quality of life(QL), fatigue(FA), pain(PA), financial difficulties(FI) and pain of QLQ-OES18(OESPA) assessed 1 week after stent placement increased (P<0.05) significantly and dysphapia of QLQ-OES18(OESDYS), eating of QLQ-OES18(OESEAT), trouble swallowing saliva of QLQ-OES18(OESSV) and choked when swallowing of QLQ-OES18(OESCH) decreased significantly (P<0.05).At 3 months after stent placement, the scores of FI increased significantly (P<0.05), and those of nausea or vomiting (NV), OESDYS,OESEAT, OESSV and OESCH decreased significantly (P<0.05).The scores of FI,OESDYS, OESCH, role functioning(RF), EF,CF,FA and OESPA at 3 months were significantly different from those at 1 week after the procedure (P<0.05).Other variables at 1 week and 3 months after the procedure were not different from those before (P>0.05).Conclusion Implantation of 125I seeds combined with esophageal intraluminal stents may prolong survival time and improve QOL of patients with advanced esophageal cancer.

Objective To investigate the indication and result of parental artery occlusion, embolization with coils, stents in treatment of the traumatic carotid artery pseudoaneurysm. Methods There were six patients with traumatic carotid artery pseudoaneurysm including three patients of cavernous pseudoaneurysm combined with carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF), two with simple traumatic carotid artery pseudoaneurysm and one with traumatic carotid artery pseudoaneurysm that was found after CCF embolization with detachable balloon. The treatment included balloon occlusion for CCF and traumatic carotid pseudoaneurysm in one patient, coil embolization in three and intenal carotid artery balloon occlusion in two. The Clinical manifestations, imaging data, choice of treatment, clinical efficacy, follow-up data and literatures were analyzed to discuss the indications for three treatments. Results There was no cerebral ischemia or surgically-related complication. No epistaxis occurred. The eyeball protrusion restoration was found in three patients and intracranial bruit vanishing in three. Vision was improved one patient after half a year follow-up. The pupils shrank in three patients during follow - up. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) showed no recurrence of pseudoaneurysm. Conclusions Endovascular treatment is the preferred choice of treatment for traumatic carotid artery pseudoaneurysm. The occlusion or parent artery balloon occlusion can be used when the pseudoaneurysm is combined with CCF. Coil embolization can be used for shoes with narrow neck, stent technology combined with coil embolization for those with wide neck and the covered stent for the rock section of the internal carotid artery.

Objective To compare the recurrence rate and long-term follow-up angiographic findings between stent-assisted coil embolization and simple coil embolization in treating large and giant intracranial aneurysms.Methods The clinical data and imaging materials of a total of 90 patients with large and giant intracranial aneurysms (＞10 mm,91 aneurysms in total),who were admitted to authors' hospital during the period from January 2004 to January 2016 to receive interventional embolization therapy,were retrospectively analyzed.Of the 90 patients,52 patients (52 lesions in total) received simple coil embolization (SCE group)and 38 patients (39 lesions in total) received stent-assisted coil embolization (SACE group).Postoperative recurrence rates of aneurysm were compared between the two groups,and recurrence risk factors were analyzed.Results The whole postoperative recurrence rate of aneurysm and re-treatment rate were 38.5％(35/91) and 20.9％(19/91) respectively;the recurrence rate and re-treatment rate of SACE group were 35.9％ (14/39) and 17.9％ (7/39) respectively,while those of SCE group were 40.4％ (21/52) and 23.1％ (12/52) respectively;the differences between the two groups were not statistically significant (P＞0.05).Multivariate logistic regression indicated that the recurrence risk factors of large or giant intracranial aneurysms included rupture of aneurysm (OR=0.284,95％CI=0.083-0.978,P=0.046),simple coil embolization (OR=5.03,95％ CI=1.04-24.44,P=0.045),concurrent hypertension (OR =0.13,95％ CI=0.036-0.51,P=0.003)and long time after operation (OR=1.002,95％CI=1.001-1.003,P=0.002).Conclusion Compared with simple coil embolization,stent-assisted coil embolization can reduce the recurrence rate of aneurysm.Rupture of aneurysm,simple coil embolization,long time after operation and concurrent hypertension are independent risk factors for recurrence of aneurysm after transcatheter arterial embolization.

We studied medium alkalinization in Salvia miltiorrhiza suspension cultures treated with salicylic acid and the effect of Ca2+ in this process through application of calcium channel antagonists (Verapamil, LaCl3, LiCl, 2-APB) and ionophore A23187. The results show that salicylic acid could induce significant medium alkalinization in S. miltiorrhiza culture. Verapamil and LaCl3 or LiCl and 2-APB, two different groups of calcium channel antagonist, significantly inhibited the medium alkalinization induced by salicylic acid. However, the suppression effect of verapamil or LaCl3 on medium alkalinization induced by salicylic acid was higher than that of LiCl or 2-APB. When two types of calcium channel inhibitor (LaCl3 and 2-APB) were used together, the medium alkalinization induced by salicylic acid was completely suppressed and even reduced the pH in medium. On the other hand, A23187 could promote the medium alkalinization. Based on the results above, we speculated that salicylic acid could induce significant medium alkalinization in S. miltiorrhiza culture, depending on the calcium from both extracell and intracell. Moreover, calcium from extracell plays a more dominant role in this process. Reveal of relationship in this research between Ca2+ and medium alkalinization can provide theory evidence for mechanism of the plant secondary metabolism.
Calcimycin ; pharmacology ; Calcium ; chemistry ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Calcium Ionophores ; pharmacology ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Culture Media ; chemistry ; Salicylic Acid ; pharmacology ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; metabolism ; Verapamil ; pharmacology

Objective To investigate the features of CT perfusion (CTP) parameters of adrenal adenoma (AA) using wide detector CT.Methods The wide detector CT scanning data of 21 patients with pathologically confirmed AA were retrospectively analyzed.CT perfusion (CTP) imaging was performed with the axis mode covering by 16 cm detector and ASiR-V50％.The image acquisition of CTP was performed after 6 s of injection of contrast media.Totally 26 consecutive volume acquisitions were contained.The arterial,venous and delayed phase images were obtained at the time of 22 s,51 s and 153 s after the injection,respectively.The blood flow (BF),blood volume (BV),mean transit time (MTT),time to peak (TP) and permeability of surface (PS) values of AA (group A) and contralateral normal adrenal gland (group B) were measured.All parameters between the two groups were compared,and the radiation dose was assessed.ROC curves were used to assess the diagnostic efficiency of CT perfusion parameters for AA.Results BV,MTT and PS values of group A were statistically lower than those of group B (all P＜0.05).There was no statistical difference of BF and TP values between the two groups (both P＞0.05).The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of BV,MTT and PS was 0.780,0.762 and 0.831,respectively.The sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis of AA was 95.2％ and 81.0％,respectively,when the threshold of PS was 1.37 ml/(100g · min).The effective dose (ED) of CT plain and CTP (including three-phase enhanced scan) were (3.20 ± 0.57) mSv and (19.98 ± 1.95) mSv.Conclusion Wide detector CT perfusion imaging can provide high-quality conventional three-phase enhanced images for diagnosis of AA,and provide effective quantitative perfusion data at the same time.PS value shows strong capability for diagnosis of AA.

Objective:To investigate the influence of perioperative probiotics supplement on short-term clinical outcomes in gastric cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with radical gastrectomy.Methods:The prospective randomized controlled study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 80 patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with radical gastrectomy in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from July 2020 to September 2021 were selected. Based on random number table, patients were allocated into two groups. Patients undergoing perioperative probiotics supplement were allocated into the experiment group, and patients undergoing perioperative conventional treatment were allocated into the control group, respectively. Observation indicators: (1) grouping situations of the enrolled patients; (2) intraoperative situations; (3) follow-up and postoperative situations; (4) inflammation related hematological indexes. Follow-up was conducted using telephone interview and outpatient examina-tion to detect postoperative complications and startup of adjuvant chemotherapy up to October 31,2021. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the independent sample t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range), and comparison between groups was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. Count data were described as absolute numbers, and comparison between groups was performed using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Comparison of ordinal data was analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Repeated measurement data were analyzed by the repeated ANOVA or generalized estimating equation. Results:(1) Grouping situations of the enrolled patients. A total of 80 patients were selected for eligibility. There were 51 males and 29 females, aged 64(42-80)years. Of the 80 patients, there were 40 patients in the experiment group and 40 patients in the control group, respectively. (2) Intraoperative situations. All patients in the experiment group and the control group underwent radical gastrectomy successfully. Cases with yield pathologic TNM (ypTNM) stage 0, stage Ⅰ, stage Ⅱ, stage Ⅲ after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, cases undergoing laparoscopic radical gastrectomy or Da Vinci robotic radical gastrectomy, the operation time, the volume of intraoperative blood loss, cases undergoing digestive tract recons-truction as Billroth Ⅱ anastomosis or Roux-en-Y anastomosis were 2, 7, 15, 13, 19, 21,205(180-240)minutes, 50(30-60)mL, 6, 34 in the experiment group, versus 4, 6, 12, 16, 23, 17, 218(190-251)minutes, 50(43-60)mL, 11, 29 in the control group, showing no significant difference in the above indicators between the two groups ( U=683.00, χ2=0.80, U=668.00, 681.00, χ2=1.87, P>0.05). (3) Follow-up and postoperative situations. All the 80 patients were followed up for 1 month after surgery. Cases with postoperative infectious complications were 6 in the experiment group, versus 15 in the control group, showing a significant difference between the two groups ( χ2=5.23, P<0.05). The application of antimicrobial agent, time to postoperative first flatus, time to postoperative first defecation, time to tolerance of solid food, duration of postoperative hospital stay, time to postopera-tive startup of adjuvant chemotherapy were 3(3-6)doses, 53(49-66)hours, 72(62-82)hours, (72±18)hours, 6.0(5.5-7.0)days, 26.0(25.0-28.0)days in the experiment group, versus 6(3-10)doses, 66(60-88)hours, 94(82-112)hours, (107±23)hours, 7.0(6.4-8.3)days, 30.0(28.0-33.0)days in the control group, showing significant differences in the above indicators between the two groups ( U=471.50, 432.00, 343.50, t=-7.62, U=411.50, 319.50, P<0.05). (4) Inflam-mation related hematological indexes. ① The white blood cell counts before surgery and at postoperative day 1, 3, 5 were (5.6±1.4)×10 9/L, (9.9±3.2)×10 9/L, (7.7±2.6)×10 9/L, (6.8±1.8)×10 9/L in the experiment group, versus (6.1±1.9)×10 9/L, (12.3±2.9)×10 9/L, (9.7±3.6)×10 9/L, (7.8±2.7)×10 9/L in the control group, meeting the mauchly′s test of sphericity ( χ2=4.17, P>0.05). Results of intrasubject effect test showed that there were significant differences in the time effect, intervention effect and interaction effect of white blood cell counts between the two groups ( F=106.61, 10.45, 4.56, P<0.05). ② The neutrophilic granulocyte percentages before surgery and at postoperative day 1, 3, 5 were 55%±10%, 76%±11%, 73%±9%, 69%±9% in the experiment group, versus 56%±9%, 84%±5%, 79%±8%, 74%±9% in the control group, not meeting the mauchly′s test of sphericity ( χ2=16.63, P<0.05). Results of multi-variate test showed that there were significant differences in the time effect, intervention effect and interaction effect of neutrophilic granulocyte percentages between the two groups ( F=92.42, 11.46, 5.55, P<0.05). ③ The levels of C-reactive protein before surgery and at postoperative day 1, 3, 5 were 1.35(1.15-1.97)mg/L, 14.94(8.24-21.22)mg/L, 33.39(13.02-66.02)mg/L, 18.36(8.27-60.43)mg/L in the experiment group, versus 1.62(0.97-2.27)mg/L, 24.03(10.42-36.52)mg/L, 81.66(31.20-116.76)mg/L, 46.84(28.30-80.26)mg/L in the control group, not meeting the normal distribution. Results of generalized estimation equation test showed that there were significant differences in the time effect, intervention effect and interaction effect of levels of C-reactive protein between the two groups ( Waldχ2=145.74, 9.48, 9.90, P<0.05). ④ The levels of procalcitonin before surgery and at postoperative day 1, 3, 5 were 0.02(0.02-0.04)μg/L, 0.08(0.06-0.12)μg/L, 0.12(0.07-0.21)μg/L, 0.09(0.06-0.15)μg/L in the experiment group, versus 0.02(0.02-0.04)μg/L, 0.14(0.07-0.71)μg/L, 0.35(0.14-0.71)μg/L, 0.24(0.10-0.48)μg/L in the control group, not meeting the normal distribution. Results of generalized estimation equation test showed that there were signifi-cant differences in the time effect, intervention effect and interaction effect of levels of procalcitonin between the two groups ( Waldχ2=62.88, 14.71, 18.33, P<0.05). Conclusion:Perioperative supple-ment of probiotics can reduce the incidence of postoperative infectious com-plications and the application of antimicrobial agent, promote recovery of gastrointestinal function, reduce the level of inflammation related indexes, shorten the duration of postoperative hospital stay and the time to postoperative startup of chemotherapy in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with radical gastrectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of robotic and laparoscopic-assisted radical total gastrectomy on lymph node dissection and short-term outcomes in patients with Siewert type II adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (AEG). METHODS: Inclusion criteria: the tumor center was located between 2 cm above and below the esophagogastric junction and was confirmed as adenocarcinoma by endoscopic biopsy. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: tumor with local invasion of the liver,spleen, pancreas or other organs; intraoperative finding of tumor dissemination or distant metastasis; patients undergoing palliative surgical treatment or preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy; patients with serious heart diseases, lung diseases, liver diseases, kidney diseases and other comorbidities; patients with multiple primary cancers;patients receiving emergency surgery. According to the above criteria, 82 patients with Siewert type II AEG who underwent gastrointestinal surgery at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from October 2014 to October 2018 were enrolled in the study. They were randomly divided into robotic surgery groups (41 cases) and laparoscopic group (41 cases) according to a computer-generated randomized allocation table. Both groups underwent radical total gastrectomy plus D2 lymph node dissection through the transabdominal esophageal hiatus approach. The intraoperative conditions and postoperative short-term outcomes were compared between two groups, including surgery time, intraoperative blood loss, length of esophagectomy, postoperative complications, postoperative gastrointestinal recovery time, length of hospital stay, postoperative unplanned reoperation rate and rehospitalization rate. Mean±SD is used for the measurement data that conforms to the normal distribution, and two independent sample t-tests are used to compare the two groups; the comparison of the count data is performed by the χ² test. RESULTS: There were 35 males (85.4%) with age of (62.3±10.0) years and body mass index of (24.4±3.2) kg/m² in the robotic surgery group. There were 37 males (90.2%) with age of (62.5±10.0) years and body mass index of (23.8±2.6) kg/m² in the laparoscopic group. No significant differences in the baseline data between two groups were found (all P>0.05). All the patients of both groups completed R0 resection successfully without conversion to laparotomy or perioperative death. Compared with the laparoscopic group, the robotic group had less intraoperative blood loss [(70.7±39.9) ml vs. (110.2±70.6) ml, t=3.118, P=0.003], longer resected esophagus [(3.0±0.7) cm vs. (1.9±0.5) cm, t=8.759, P<0.001], but longer setup time [(56.5±7.4) minutes vs. (36.0±6.6) minutes, t=4.241, P<0.001], and higher hospitalization costs [(122 317.31±57 789.33) yuan vs. (99 401.56±39 349.53) yuan, t=2.099, P=0.039], whose differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The total number of harvested lymph node in the robotic surgery group was 39.2±15.3,which was significantly higher than that in the laparoscopic group (33.0±12.1) (t=0.733, P=0.047). In the robotic group and the laparoscopic group, the mediastinal lymph node No.110 and No.111 were 3.6±1.2 vs. 1.5±1.0 and 3.7±2.0 vs. 1.8±1.1, respectively, with significant difference (t=10.138, P<0.001, t=8.227, P<0.001); axillary lymph node No.19 and No.20 were 2.3±1.2 vs. 1.1±0.9 and 2.0±1.0 vs. 1.0±0.1, respectively, with significant difference (t=7.082, P<0.001,t=8.672,P<0.001). There were no significant differences in the total number of abdominal lymph node and the number of lymph node in abdominal stations between two group (all P>0.05). The highest lymph node metastasis rate was approximately 20% and observed in No.1, No.2, No.3, and No.7, followed by No.8a, No.9, No.11p, and No.110 with around 5%. The lymph node metastasis rate in other stations (No.4sa, No.4sb, No.4d, No.5, No.6, No.11d, No.12a, No.19, No.20 and No.111) was less than 5%.There were no significant differences in postoperative complication rate, postoperative fever time, postoperative exhaust and defecation time, fluid diet time, and postoperative hospital stay (all P>0.05). There were 2 patients(4.9%) with unplanned reoperation and 1 patient (2.4%) with unplanned re-admission in the laparoscopic group,while 3 patients (7.3%)with unplanned reoperation and 2 patients (4.9%)with unplanned re-admission in the robotic surgery group, whose differences were also not statistically significant (χ²=0.240,P=0.675;χ²=0.346,P=1.000). CONCLUSION Robot-assisted radical total gastrectomy for Siewert II AEG is safe and feasible, which is characterized by more sophisticated operation, less blood loss and higher quality of lymph node dissection, especially for subphrenic and inferior mediastinal lymph nodes.
Adenocarcinoma ; classification ; pathology ; surgery ; Aged ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; classification ; pathology ; surgery ; Esophagectomy ; Esophagogastric Junction ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Lymph Node Excision ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Robotic Surgical Procedures ; Stomach Neoplasms ; classification ; pathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

Heart failure is the leading cause of death worldwide. Compound Danshen Dripping Pill (CDDP) or CDDP combined with simvastatin has been widely used to treat patients with myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular diseases in China. However, the effect of CDDP on hypercholesterolemia/atherosclerosis-induced heart failure is unknown. We constructed a new model of heart failure induced by hypercholesterolemia/atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and LDL receptor (LDLR) dual deficient (ApoE^-/-LDLR^-/-) mice and investigated the effect of CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin on the heart failure. CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin inhibited heart injury by multiple actions including anti-myocardial dysfunction and anti-fibrosis. Mechanistically, both Wnt and lysine-specific demethylase 4A (KDM4A) pathways were significantly activated in mice with heart injury. Conversely, CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin inhibited Wnt pathway by markedly up-regulating expression of Wnt inhibitors. While the anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative stress by CDDP were achieved by inhibiting KDM4A expression and activity. In addition, CDDP attenuated simvastatin-induced myolysis in skeletal muscle. Taken together, our study suggests that CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin can be an effective therapy to reduce hypercholesterolemia/atherosclerosis-induced heart failure.